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Board adopts resolution opposing Citizens United ruling
Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution calling for constitutional change to limit corporate political spending, joining a movement supported by more than 35 U.S. cities, the resolution’s sponsor said. The resolution passed without recorded roll call after same‑house, same‑call agreement.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution urging action to address the effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which the resolution described as granting corporations equal free‑speech rights to influence elections.
President Chu asked colleagues to support the measure, thanking Supervisors Cohen and Wiener (and another colleague named on the record) as cosponsors. Chu said the board should add San Francisco to the list of cities calling for a constitutional amendment to limit corporate influence in elections; she noted that other major cities, including Los Angeles and New York City, had passed similar measures.
Supervisor Farrell, who said he opposed the Board taking positions on national issues as a general rule, nevertheless explained he would vote in favor of the resolution, calling the Citizens United ruling “horrible” and saying his objection related to the Board’s institutional focus rather than to the resolution’s substance.
Supervisor Kim and Supervisor Avalos later asked to be added as cosponsors. The clerk announced the resolution was adopted under the same‑house, same‑call procedure.
Context and next steps: The resolution places San Francisco among municipalities calling for congressional action or a constitutional amendment to alter the legal treatment of corporate political spending; it is a symbolic local statement rather than a change to local law.
